


Lyrically Persuasive

by RogueMarks



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Dancing, Dorks in Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Inspired by Music, Kissing, Love, M/M, Music, Singing, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 04:03:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8474629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueMarks/pseuds/RogueMarks
Summary: Dr. Gottlieb files yet another complaint against his colleague, nothing new, until the K-Sci lab is overrun by the musical tastes of Dr. Geiszler. This means something... This means revenge, and two dorks in love, in denial, until music brings them together.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Wanted to write something nice and warm and fluffy. Heavily influenced by a ton of music, if it weren't obvious enough. Links to each song will be available for your listening pleasure at the end!  
> Thanks to Sailer for giving this a once-over before I made this live <3

Five days ago Hermann ran afoul of civil discourse in filing a rather nasty, yet unnecessary formal complaint to Human Resources regarding—who else—Dr. Newton Geiszler. “Refused multiple requests of maintaining personal space”, the physicist had written. “Biohazards breached the boundaries of sterile territory, resulting in the fumigation of multiple personal holo-displays, causing loss of valuable productivity.” It was a half-truth, Hermann preferring his boards over computational methods any day, but what the physicist omitted, causing grievous personal offense on behalf of his colleague, was the full story. “If Dr. Gottlieb hadn't thrown chalk at me from across the goddamn room,” Newton objected with a stiff finger, “I wouldn't have flinched and spilled that sample of lymph fluid on those overpriced calculators! It took me months to obtain just two liters and, poof!”

As they had been countless times before, the complaint was dismissed as soon as it reached the Marshal's desk. After no more than a single minute of overlapping argument, Stacker began to counsel the scientists, sternly asking the pair to collect themselves and, “Please, gentlemen, get back to work!” For the remainder of the day the laboratory was tense, reserved, the calm before the storm. Hermann expected that part, but when the laboratory kept quiet for an additional day, he immediately suspected the man was up to something.

The day following Dr. Geiszler's silence was when it began. All day long their shared workspace was consumed with the loud, unbridled frenzy of early punk rock. Black Flag, Bad Religion, Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys... All Newton did was absently nod to the music, happily humming to himself as he worked, keeping to himself with no commentary whatsoever.

Hermann dared not put up a stink. Smug and stubborn, he tried to maintain the air that he was in the right, but his exterior began to crack the next day when he had to deal with the synthetic soundtrack of every single dance club born of the new millennium. To this Dr. Geiszler danced, but kept to his side of the lab, and most importantly, the confines of his cooling table. Every now and again Hermann would catch himself staring across the room, briefly entranced by his colleague, but would reign himself in with a huff and a groan. He retired first that night, the music fading down the hall as he made his way back to the dormitory to try and forget what he had witnessed. Success was limited.

It only seemed to continue as Newton's voice carried into the hall the next morning. Marching into the room Hermann sat himself at his desk. He found it incredibly difficult to continue where he had left off the previous night as Newton sang, snapping his hips left and right.

“ _Maybe I'm just too demanding? Maybe I'm just like my father, too bold. Maybe you're just like my mother? She's never satisfied. Why do we scream at each other? This is what it sounds like, when doves cry..._ ” the biologist lamented, jerking his body to the erratic beat of the song.

Shaking his head the physicist was able to put his nose back to the grindstone, managing paperwork with such efficiency one would claim he had been doing it all his life. Having fortuitously drowned out the peppy ambiance it almost escaped him, but the next song was indisputable, and massively different—Liszt's “Liebestraum” began to play. Lost in the melody Hermann's pencil also lost its momentum. He wanted to simply enjoy it, but thus far today's brief assortment of genres seemed a little... _too_ random.

Newton's library was expansive—at least a few terabytes worth of files. When Hermann insisted upon listening to his favored classical pieces Newton's dramatic whining was anything but genuine. On particularly stressful days it would automatically play from the biologist's stereo, wholly unsolicited. Those instances spread a warmth up and through Dr. Gottlieb, including now, sending a frisson of pleasure that hit him to the core.

Dr. Gottlieb suddenly remembered where he was and what he was supposed to be doing once a twangy acoustic melody took over, not without first imparting a suspicious glance from across the room. Newton met his eyes, flashing a small smile, bobbing his head and murmuring the new, gravely vocals with better success than the last attempt. Rock music, but agreeable to Hermann's ears, which now adopted a healthy flush due to his colleague's tender look. The man was purposefully trying to make the physicist crack. “Kill 'em with kindness,” he heard Tendo say once. Hermann couldn't disagree, especially when a hot cup of tea was placed just to the right of his still hand, accompanied by a fresh blueberry scone. Hermann's favorite, a Shatterdome favorite that never lasted beyond the earliest breakfast rush.

“ _I watched you suffer, a dull aching pain... Now you've decided, to show me the same... No sweeping exit, or offstage lines, could make me feel bitter, or treat you unkind..._ ” Dr. Geiszler sang with peculiar emphasis before walking back over the line, the lengthy words of the chorus trailing behind him. Hermann looked at the teacup as if it were a live grenade. The simple consideration wasn't a new gesture by any means, but the implication made him want to scream. Sitting back in his chair Dr. Gottlieb closed his eyes, and began a series of long, calculated breaths.

Today appeared to be the apex of Newton's unique revenge, Hermann having become paranoid when he heard the slow croon of rhythm and blues, and not the bastardized modernization. Opening his eyes he discovered his colleague slow-dancing with a hunk of... whatever it was on the stainless steel tabletop.

“ _I don't want to set the world on fire. I just want to start, a flame in your heart..._ ”

Dr. Gottlieb paused, drinking in the pure absurdity of the situation. But Newton was an absurd man, and in this moment, ridiculously endearing. Puffing out his chest, Hermann stood, and quietly advanced.

“ _I've lost all ambition, for worldly acclaim. I just want to be the one you love... And with your admission, that you feel the same, I'll have reached the goal I'm dreaming of, believe me..._ ”

The man lifted his arms, limp silvery flesh hanging from his hands like a dead partner. During the song's narrated intermission, Newton pleasantly hummed to the ambient measure, unaware of the man just a scant meter behind him.

Hermann cleared his throat. “Newton?”

Dr. Geiszler's humming lilted upwards into wordless acknowledgment. Removing his gloves the biologist depressed the pedal of the bright red bin on the floor, tossing the pair away. The man's nonchalance tipped Herman over the edge, forcing him into action. Grabbing his colleague by the shoulder Dr. Gottlieb spun the man around. He intended to maintain dominance but as soon as Hermann felt the soft rasp of stubble against his face, the moist lips against his own, he lost all control. The intensity of it all made him lose grip of his cane, wrapping his arms around Newton's back for support.

Hermann felt his posture give in, Newton keeping him afloat as they both lost themselves in each other. It was sweet, slow and tender and breathy as they parted. Coming to Hermann opened his eyes, and in that moment green embraced a whole new meaning. Newton broke into an impish grin, and they kissed again. In the background The Ink Spots came to an end, voice trailing off on an impossible high note.

“We didn't even get a fraction of the way into the playlist, dude” Newton giggled into Hermann's neck. He began to sway, taking his partner along for a lazy dance to another delicate ballad to which Newton memorized with infuriating accuracy.

“ _Le ciel bleu, sur nous peut s’effondrer...”_ Newton slid a hand to the small of Hermann's back, his other lacing through the fingers of his partner's to hold out to their side. _“Et la terre peut bien s’écrouler. Peu m’importe si tu m’aimes, je me fous du monde entier...”_ French wasn't Dr. Gottlieb's strength, influenced heavily upon the likes of Mandelbrot, Cauchy, d'Alembert... That was language in numbers. The small words offered to the crook of his shoulder were that of affection.

“ _Tant que l’amour inondera mes matins, tant que mon corps frémira sous tes mains, peu m’importent les problèmes, mon amour, puisque tu m’aimes..._ ” Newton spun them around, giving up on singing in favor of rendering Hermann breathless. He'd rather not risk tripping over the words. Besides, actions spoke louder, and his partner was very receptive.

“You impossible man,” Hermann breathed.

“Says the one who filed enough complaints to fill the British Library...” Newton chased his lips, his quip lost to their amiable thirst. Hermann loathed his retreat.

“I promise to refrain, if you promise this,” the physicist stated, punctuating his words with a firm squeeze to Newton's backside. With a gasp the shorter man nestled his face under Hermann's jaw.

“Oh là là, Monsieur Gottlieb...”

Having no heart or train of thought to contest the title the physicist lost himself to the soft lips on his neck, their subtle movements as they rocked back and forth together. They couldn't have been more clueless, more juvenile, that is, until Newton began to hop up and down. Synthesizer. He always managed to raise the bar.

“Oh my God, I love this song! _I try to discover_ ,” the biologist belted, “ _a little something to make me sweeter... Oh baby refrain, from breaking my heart...”_ Ridiculousness aside, his smile was infectious, breaking Hermann completely once they locked eyes.

“ _I'm so in love with you..._ ”

“Newton.”

“ _I'll be forever blue...”_

“Newton...”

“ _That you gimme no reason. Why you make-a-me work so hard?_ ”

Hermann could barely contain his laughter.

“ _That you gimme no, that you gimme no, that you gimme no, that you gimme no_ —”

Newton wasn't given the chance to continue, his skinny tie betraying him as he was pulled forward. Perhaps it wasn't so bad, as his partner kissed him senseless, but he couldn't help vocalizing his discontent.

“Spoilsport,” he mouthed, nipping at Hermann's chin.

“Don't make me renig my promise...”

“Oh, I'd like to see you try! 'Dr. Geiszler's distraction has evolved to playful biting, causing discomfort in my pants',” he laughed, imitating a haughty British accent.

Tie wrapped around his fist Hermann asserted himself, pulling the man closer still. “Behave yourself and we can perhaps make music of our own in a more... private setting?” The low growl of agreement that emitted from deep in Newton's throat made Hermann want to take the biologist away from the lab much, much sooner. But for now, the least they could do is afford themselves a few more minutes to move about the open floor. The tea could be reheated. This new flame, however, needed tending to.

 

**Author's Note:**

> As promised, here are links to the songs Newton has played in order of "appearance":
> 
> "When Doves Cry" by Prince https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHOu2MCFvm4  
> "Liebestraum" by Liszt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpOtuoHL45Y  
> "Wild Horses" by The Rolling Stones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE2B_kCfvss  
> "I Don't Want To Set the World On Fire" by The Ink Spots https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l6vqPUM_FE  
> "L'Hymne à L'Amour " by Edith Piaf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gTGmbA40ZQ  
> "A Little Respect" by Erasure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiKVjS3gR88
> 
> Yeah, Newton is pretty ecclectic... Let me know what you think!


End file.
